Mourinho's Rants: Spurs (h)

Last updated : 20 September 2004 By Liam Corbett
Jose said he felt Tottenham's attitude was un-attractive and made it not much of a game for any Chelsea or football fan to watch.

“It is frustrating for me, for the players, for every Chelsea supporter and for every football supporter because people don’t pay money to see one team play and another team defend, kick balls away, fall down and demand the medical department to come on and take five minutes to change a player,” he stated.


“The five minutes the referee added on at the end should have been 15. If I am a referee, I have to be against this and protect the team that wants to play.

“But, in fact, the game finished with a penetrating pass from our defence, our strikers are chasing the ball and he finished the game in exactly five minutes. He couldn’t give five seconds more to see what was happening.”

Mourinho was in full agreement with Spurs boss Jacques Santini in that Spurs will be far happier with the result than their West Lodon rivals.

“I can believe Tottenham are very happy,” Mourinho agreed. “They are still unbeaten and they go with one point in a game that they shouldn’t.”

One major plus for Mourinho was the performance of Irishman Damien Duff, who he now feels is ready to play much more.

“When Damien was on the pitch, Tottenham stopped playing. Every time they had the ball, they kicked the ball away. Every time they had the ball, they kicked the ball up.

“I am happy with what Damien did and I was also happy with the 15 minutes he gave me in Paris. Now he’s in a condition to play more times, so definitely he becomes a more important option for me.”

"I have to be here and fight against these teams. If I am a supporter and pay money to come here, I don’t come.

“But because I am a football manager, I have to work my team to try and overcome this type of team. Maybe next time I can have on the bench instead of Gallas and Smertin, Mutu and Robben when he is fit. I don’t need defenders!”

Chelsea travel to the North-East next Saturday for a trip to Middlesborough to face up against old boys Bolo Zenden and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.